<!DOCTYPE html>
<html>
<head>
<meta charset="UTF-8">
<title>Making Up for Lost Time by BurgundySunsets</title>
<style type="text/css">

body { background-color: #ffffff; }
.CI {
text-align:center;
margin-top:0px;
margin-bottom:0px;
padding:0px;
}
.center   {text-align: center;}
.cover    {text-align: center;}
.full     {width: 100%; }
.quarter  {width: 25%; }
.smcap    {font-variant: small-caps;}
.u        {text-decoration: underline;}
.bold     {font-weight: bold;}
</style>
</head>
<body>
<h1><a href="https://archiveofourown.org/works/22514521">Making Up for Lost Time</a> by <a class='authorlink' href='https://archiveofourown.org/users/BurgundySunsets/pseuds/BurgundySunsets'>BurgundySunsets</a></h1>

<table class="full">

<tr><td><b>Category:</b></td><td>Fire Emblem: Fuukasetsugetsu | Fire Emblem: Three Houses</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Genre:</b></td><td>But Byleth isn't that great with words or emotions, Claude gets pinned and good times ensue, Confessions that could've been explained better, Getting Together, M/M, Post-Time Skip, and Claude appreciates that, and byleth is an idiot in love, and then was very happy to find he wasn't, but really this was just an excuse to make a fic for that one picture of claude post time skip, claude's just been pining over his professor for awhile, does contain fluff though, five of those years he thought he was dead, he tries though, war period but it doesn't focus on that</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Language:</b></td><td>English</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Status:</b></td><td>Completed</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Published:</b></td><td>2020-02-01</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Updated:</b></td><td>2020-02-01</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Packaged:</b></td><td>2021-05-18 08:48:25</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Rating:</b></td><td>Explicit</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Warnings:</b></td><td>No Archive Warnings Apply</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Chapters:</b></td><td>1</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Words:</b></td><td>7,586</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Publisher:</b></td><td>archiveofourown.org</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Story URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/works/22514521</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Author URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/users/BurgundySunsets/pseuds/BurgundySunsets</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Summary:</b></td><td><div class="userstuff">
              <p>"Claude, firmly pinned to the ground, couldn’t do more than struggle fruitlessly. After a few moments, he recognized there was no removing himself from his ex-professor’s firm hold, and as such, it was all he could do to turn his head to rest his cheek against the ground, and look over his shoulder, up to the man pressing firmly into his back. Giving a grin, he spoke through a soft pant.</p>
<p>“Jeez, teach, the least you could do is take a guy out on a date. Although, I’m honestly not going to complain about our current positions…If you know what I mean.” And he said that last statement softer and more low, his voice deepening a bit.<br/>“And, considering I can see your sword laying over there, I would say you probably feel much the same, if what’s poking into my rear is what I think it is. Or, you’re just really happy to see me.”</p>
<p>Some long held emotions finally get laid bare between two mutually pining men who really need to get their crap sorted out. But, Byleth's never been much of a talker, and they did always say actions spoke louder than words.</p>
<p>This is the fic where Claude finally gets pinned in the best way possible.</p>
            </div></td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Relationships:</b></td><td>My Unit | Byleth/Claude von Riegan</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Comments:</b></td><td>2</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Kudos:</b></td><td>112</td></tr>

</table>

<a name="section0001"><h2>Making Up for Lost Time</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Author's Note:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
      <p>Hey there! Oh man, it's been awhile since I've written anything in general, so I guess I'm back! This is my first fic for the Fire Emblem: Three Houses game, and I just wanna add as a precursor, I have yet to actually play Claude's route. (His is gonna be my next one, I'm almost finished with Dimitri's!) So while I do know some things, I apologize in advance for any inaccuracies with how Claude is portrayed, as I tried my best based on what I knew from how he acted pre time skip and the few glimpses I got post timeskip. </p>
<p>But, my friend (who also edited this and reread it a few times for me, bless her heart) sent a no-context pic to me one day of what appeared to be Claude, post time skip, looking over his shoulder with a grin as he appeared to be pinned to the ground, and all the comments next to it said "claude gets pegged"</p>
<p>Now, since Fe3h is a T rated game, I know its not what my mind originally mapped it out to be XD Butttt....let's imagine for a second the rating was higher, and it *was* what it looks like without context XD</p>
<p>So, this is what this fic is. Claude gets pinned and bottoms, and some emotions get a bit sorted out between the two pine-y men by making up for lost time. That's all there really is to it.</p>
<p>Enjoy! :)</p>
<p>edit: i just realized i have one whole ass braincell that did NOT activate while I was writing this at 3am, thank you to my friend who corrected me that pegging involves a woman with a strap on (Hopefully the tags should be fixed now but ao3 was acting weird so it might not be; it used to be "claude gets pegged" but should be "claude gets pinned" instead.) Somehow I misconstrued getting pinned (as in, against a wall) as pegged so I apologize for any confusion- it's male!Byleth and Claude with some good ass wall pinning, not female!Byleth with a strap on, for clarification XD</p>
    </blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>
  <span>Giving a sigh, Byleth rounded the corner of the crumbling monastery hall, heading to the dining hall with the intent on fixing himself a warm meal, using what little rations he could muster.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>So many things had changed over the last five years that he had been asleep, or in a coma was most likely a better way of putting it. Everyone was at war with each other; Dimitri, once thought to be dead, had eventually been found. Although, he showed little to no interest in slowing down his attempts at carrying out a half decade long murder wish against Edelgard. And then the Emperor herself did not seem interested in listening to anyone, absorbed in her own interests of achieving the war’s endgame.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>Claude seemed about the only one of the former house leaders to have a stable head on his shoulders at the moment. Byleth, as such, couldn’t help but long for times when the biggest worry he had was whether or not he was going to eat with one of his students, or one of his fellow professors and advisers.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>Upon making it to the dining hall, Byleth gave a small nod to a few of his former students that were seated, grabbing a late night meal such as himself. Heading to the table to grab his food, he let his thoughts wander further, and they returned to a man that had been plaguing much of it as of late.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>Claude had been...warm and welcoming upon his return. Even though a long five years had passed, beyond some surprise on the brunette’s part, it was as if nothing had changed. Well, surprise and some rangling of his wild hair. And apparently he had also grown some facial hair in his absence, as well.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>And to say that that </span>
  <em>
    <span>hadn’t</span>
  </em>
  <span> done something to the ex professor would’ve been a total lie. As hard as he tried to fight it, he knew he liked the Almyrian man. A year’s worth of stolen glances, a dance at the ball, and then a rendezvous at the Goddess Tower was most helpful in guiding him to sorting out just what he felt for the former house leader of the Golden Deer. It wasn’t too surprising of a revelation at the time; the signs had all been there. And if he had been reading the brunette correctly, he figured the man probably returned his sentiments to some degree, but neither of them had the reason or gall to try and pursue something. Be as it were that he was only a year older than the house leader, it would still be… odd to try and pursue anything while still professor and student. He was sure Seteth probably would have had a word or two to say on the matter.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>But that was half a decade’s worth of years in the past, and the sands of time had swept away any reminiscence of such a circumstance. Gone was a young, goofy and carefree boy who once wore a braid in his unkempt locks, and in his place resided a young adult, hardened by five years of war and turmoil. Even so, Byleth still recognized the old Claude underneath his new looks and outfit; he was still the same young man that loved to tease his professor when given the chance, and who had been immensely relieved to see the now younger man had been alright all these years, safely returned to the monastery. He had welcomed him back with open arms and a warm smile, and that had done wonders to Byleth’s confusion addled mind.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>Looking up, Byleth had recognized the familiar timbre of Claude’s voice, and couldn’t help the small smile that stretched across his face when he noticed the brunette talking to Raphael off in the distance, probably discussing something to do with rations and other matters of a similar nature, as they were ought to do.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>Topping off his plate with one sweet bun, Byleth turned and strode away to the exit of the dining hall, intent to eat his meal in his room as he reviewed casualty reports and artillery damages of their most recent excursion in Gronder Field. However, hearing Claude’s voice reach out to him, he stopped in the doorway and turned to the man with a tilt of his head, having not caught what he said.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>“</span>
  <span>Hey, teach!” Claude called out, waving Raphael off quickly with his hand before jogging to where the young ex-professor stood. “Heading back to your quarters so soon?” He asked with a grin, stopping before him.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>Byleth turned to fully face him and offered him a neutral look, nodding a little. “I still have some documents to look into. There were enough damages to artillery and the army that I need to address it sooner rather than later, so I figured I could eat while looking it over to save on time.” He said simply.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>Something in Claude’s eyes seemed to soften at his words, and he rested his hands on his own hips as he looked at Byleth for a moment, before grinning.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>“</span>
  <span>Well, don’t work yourself too hard, alright? I can help with some of the reports if you send them over to my quarters.” He offered, wanting to help the man. As the Duke of Almyra, he desired to carry most of the burden of paperwork himself, but he remembered with fondness that Byleth was always a stubborn one, and as such, somehow most of the paperwork always ended up being swiped off of his own desk in the late of night, only to show up in the hands of the professor later on the next morning.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>Byleth simply shook his head, and this time he gave the former house leader a small smile.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>“</span>
  <span>While that is greatly appreciated, I can assure you I will be alright. It should only take a couple of hours to get through.”  He reassured, and Claude simply sighed and shook his head.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>Giving Byleth a similar small smile, he chuckled a little, and his posture relaxed even further.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>“</span>
  <span>Alright, then just yell if you need anything, alright? I’d hate for you to miss the practice battle between us all in the morning just because you were sleeping in!”</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>Byleth’s eyes had widened a little at that; to be honest, he had completely forgotten they had scheduled a practice battle between the former Golden Deer students in the morning. Giving a soft sigh, he nodded in understanding.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>“</span>
  <span>I’ll be there, don’t worry. But perhaps you should take your own advice and get some sleep. You’re going to need it for when I wipe the floor with you tomorrow.” Byleth said, a small smirk gracing his lips, of which was eagerly returned with a grin from Claude.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>“</span>
  <span>You wish. Five years have passed, professor, and I’ve spent all that time training while you were </span>
  <em>
    <span>sleeping</span>
  </em>
  <span>.” He said, teasingly. “You saw how I handled those Imperial soldiers at Gronder. Don’t think I’ll hold back simply because you’re my adviser at the moment.”</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>Byleth simply chuckled a little at that, and looked at him with a slight glimmer of excitement in his eyes. He missed sparring simply for sparring’s sake. This would be a much appreciated diversion from their usual monotony of war planning and ration managing.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>“</span>
  <span>I wouldn’t wish it for the world. Get some rest now, Claude. I’ll see you in the morning.” Byleth said, giving a small nod before turning towards the door once more.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>Claude had smiled and nodded, and watched as Byleth headed out of the doors, into the chill night air.</span>
</p><hr/>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>Morning had arrived much sooner than Byleth had wished it to, as he had ended up staying up much later than he ever intended. Images of warm green eyes, gentle hands, and soft, wavy brown hair had floated through his mind all night, and it was with heavy embarrassment that he had to acknowledge the prominent problem in his trousers. Perhaps a couple more times than he would ever willingly admit to himself, but that was all in the past now..</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>Running his fingers through his hair in an attempt to tame it in its messy state, Byleth did a once over, looking down at himself to make sure he at least looked presentable for the morning. Deeming himself suitable to be seen in public, he holstered a practice sword to his hip, and then headed out of his quarters, down to the training hall not too far away.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>The sound of clashing swords and charging magic spells greeted his ears when he neared the hall. It was with a small look of surprise that he realized his former students had already started without him. He knew that he was not late, even though he had had a delayed start. But, perhaps his former students had just been eager to burn some energy and do some more bonding with each other, just like he had felt himself.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>Entering the hall, he was greeted with a sight that he had missed greatly. To see familiar faces, sparring with grins on their faces rather than intense looks of concentration befit of a life or death situation, was a huge breath of fresh air. Walking forward, he was greeted by Ignatz and Raphael who had been in a match, of which they paused just long enough to grin and wave at him before continuing. Lysithea and Hilda, while, not exactly sparring, were animatedly talking, and Lorenz was enraptured with his own match against Leonie.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>Marianne was off to the side, reading a book on the sidelines, while Claude also stood off to the side and drank from a canteen. It was obvious by the sheen of sweat on his face that he had most likely just gotten out of a match with someone.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>Upon striding forward, Claude noticed Byleth’s appearance, and twisted the cap back onto his canteen with a smile as he strode forward to greet the man. Gulping slightly to himself as he noticed the way Claude’s hair hung to his face a bit, his cheeks pink with just the slightest bit of exertion, Byleth steeled himself and mirrored the smile on his own face.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>“</span>
  <span>I was worried you weren’t going to show, teach. We all showed up early, but that was because we know you tend to like to arrive early to events yourself.” Claude said, resting one hand on his hip once more. “Did the papers keep you up like I figured they would?”</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>Byleth opened his mouth to respond, before he quickly closed it once more and glanced away. “I...suppose it was something like that.” He said, having caught himself before he slipped and said no. “In any case, I’m here now, so we can begin, should you desire.”</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>Claude only laughed his usual happy laugh, and walked to the side, setting down his water and replacing it with his bow and arrow instead.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>“</span>
  <span>That eager to get your butt handed to you? I suppose I have no option but to comply then, don’t I?” Claude asked, giving a wink as he grabbed one of his arrows and got into position.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>Byleth, in turn, withdrew his training sword and got into position as well, a small smirk coming over him.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>“</span>
  <span>I think you’ve got it backwards, Claude. I don’t intend to give myself to you that easily.” He warned, kneeling down a bit in his position.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>And that was where he messed up, and he knew it as soon as he saw the dark, mischievous look that passed over Claude’s features.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>“</span>
  <span>Who ever said anything about wanting it easy?” He started, loading his bow, and grinning at his former teacher. “I’ve waited five years and eight months for you, </span>
  <em>
    <span>Byleth</span>
  </em>
  <span>. What’s a few more minutes?”</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>And just as soon as he heard his own quick intake of breath, he heard the arrow whizzing through the air, aimed directly for his shoulder, and jumped quickly to dodge it. Claude didn’t let up however, and just as quickly as one arrow was launched through the air, five more followed in quick succession, all aimed for stun points on Byleth’s body.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>It took every bit of concentration, but the green haired man had managed to dodge the onslaught, and panted softly as he kneeled down to catch his breath from it. Looking up, he saw the grin on Claude’s face as the man twirled an arrow between his fingers, and sighed a little at the confident look on the brunette’s face.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>“</span>
  <span>I’m impressed, Claude. You managed to catch me off guard there. I can tell you have improved quite a bit.” Byleth said with a small smile, before stand back up to his feet and getting back into position. “There are still some lessons to teach you, however.”</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>Claude merely smirked, and loaded another arrow.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>“</span>
  <span>Haha thanks teach! Better not make the same mistake twice though, because once I start back up, I ain’t stopping until I win.”</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>Byleth, feeling a bit confident, returned the smirk.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>“</span>
  <span>Show me what you’ve got, Claude.” He said, and braced himself.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>“</span>
  <span>I only aim to please, dear professor.” And with that, Byleth launched forward, going on the offensive, and quickly and efficiently dodged each of the brunette’s arrows.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>Byleth maneuvered through the string of air projectiles just like it was second nature, as he always had done. Following into a familiar dance of give and take, Byleth would lunge forward and land a few slashes, managing to catch Claude off guard enough to push him back, and Claude would retaliate by jumping out of harm’s way and launching a few arrows when he could fit it in.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>This dance of sword and arrow faire continued for a few minutes, but with their intensity, it was only a matter of time before both of their stamina began to wear out. Byleth, as per usual, noticed the exact moment when Claude faltered.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>A small twist of his ankle upon landing incorrectly caused the man to stumble ever so slightly, and Byleth took advantage of this lapse in agility.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>“</span>
  <span>I’ve got you now!” He yelled out, and lunged forward, running behind Claude and kicking his feet out from underneath him, and tossing his sword to the side to grab at the brunette’s arms. Pinning the man’s arms to his back, he shoved him to the ground, one boot firmly planted into his lower back, and leaned down over top of him, panting heavily as sweat trickled down his face.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>Claude, firmly pinned to the ground, couldn’t do more than struggle fruitlessly. After a few moments, he recognized there was no removing himself from his professor’s firm hold, and as such, it was all he could do to turn his head to rest his cheek against the ground, and look over his shoulder, up to the man pressing firmly into his back. Giving a grin, he spoke through a soft pant.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>“</span>
  <span>Jeez, teach, the least you could do is take a guy out on a date. Although, I’m honestly not going to complain about our current positions…If you know what I mean.” And he said that last statement softer and more low, his voice deepening a bit.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>“</span>
  <span>And, considering I can see your sword laying over there, I would say you probably feel much the same, if what’s poking into my rear is what I think it is. </span>
  <em>
    <span>Or,</span>
  </em>
  <span> you’re just </span>
  <em>
    <span>really</span>
  </em>
  <span> happy to see me.” Claude finished with a cheeky grin, sending the former professor a wink over his shoulder.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>It took a few moments for Claude’s words to process, but eventually they did, and that is when Byleth quickly let go of the man underneath him and scrambled to his feet, a bright blush coloring his cheeks as he slowly stepped away from him.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>“</span>
  <span>I...I’ve got to go. Please, forgive me, I...I have some more documents I have to look over. Goodbye.” And Byleth quickly ran and left out of the training hall, much to the displeasure of Claude, who had stood up and reached out to try and stop him.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>Giving a sigh, Claude ran a hand through his hair and looked up to the rafters of the building, a little flustered and upset that Byleth had bolted so quickly. At the confused looks of his fellow peers, he felt a small tinge of embarrassment wash over him, and so he addressed them all with a reassuring smile.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>“</span>
  <span>It’s nothing, the professor just forgot to do some things earlier. We can all continue without him.” He announced, and walked around to gather the arrows he had strewn about, deep in thought. He knew he’d have to have a talk with the green haired man, it was just a matter of cornering him to be able to. And that was the part Claude was not looking forward to.</span>
</p><hr/>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>Slamming the door behind himself, Byleth panted softly as he leaned against, sliding down the frame and burying his face into his hands as his face radiated with heat and shame. Of all the times for his body to betray him, it figured it would be during the one time he absolutely needed to keep it in check.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>Apparently, however, his lower half had different ideas, and even though his mind hadn’t actively been supplying heat filled visions when he had Claude pinned underneath him, it appeared as if his lower half remembered some of the dreams he had had, quite well, and stirred in interest for him.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>And even so, he couldn’t get the feeling out of his head of just how </span>
  <em>
    <span>great</span>
  </em>
  <span> Claude had felt, pinned underneath him like that. Groaning softly, Byleth rubbed a hand through his hair and clenched his fingers into the locks, bowing down a little to try and gather his bearings..</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>At twenty years old, well, </span>
  <em>
    <span>twenty-five </span>
  </em>
  <span>he supposed, he should have better control over his body. He </span>
  <em>
    <span>should</span>
  </em>
  <span> be able to cast aside the building infatuation he had felt for the man ever since he had returned to the monastery after five long years, and focus on the more pertinent matters at hand, such as ending the war they were currently wrapped up in.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>But then again, he </span>
  <em>
    <span>should</span>
  </em>
  <span> also be twenty-five, and yet he didn’t feel like it. He should also not have lapses in his memory, where five long years had passed him by in what only felt like a short couple hour nap. His body had not changed in the slightest, however, and even though the world and everyone around him had aged and changed, he had been left untouched by the hands of time, locked into a stasis for the half of a decade he had been out.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>As such, it seemed much like everything else in his life up until this point was not going to plan; and, recognizing that with each fleeting glance towards the former Golden Deer house leader, he was affected immensely. The subtle grazes of touch they would share every once in awhile, simply passing each other by- all of this compounded against him, and as such, his body’s reactions should not come as a surprise.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>And yet it did, and further he fell into the trap of his own desires, grasping at the surface only to never quite break the precipice of freedom.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>All of his thoughts and musings came to a staggering halt when he heard a knock against his door, however, and then came the familiar lilt of a voice that had been far too etched into his memory for him to mistake.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>“</span>
  <span>Hey, Teach? You in there?” Claude had started, and Byleth couldn’t help but notice with curiosity that there was a nervous edge in the young man’s voice.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>“</span>
  <span>Look, I just wanted to apologize for what happened back in the training hall. It wasn’t my...place to tease you like I had, and-” And there was a pause in his words. He could practically sense the man rub a hand through his hair in frustration.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>“</span>
  <span>And I just wanted you to know it wasn’t my intent to embarrass you. I honestly forgot there were others in the hall with me. For just a moment in time, it kinda felt like we were...y’know. Alone.” And something in Byleth snapped at that; and the last shreds he had over his self control dwindled to nothing as he heard something that had given him a glimmer of hope.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>That wasn’t an apology over the action itself. No, that was an apology for the apparent embarrassment he had incurred from them being around </span>
  <em>
    <span>others</span>
  </em>
  <span>.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>Slamming the door open, Byleth stared on at Claude with wide eyes, as the startled brunette stared on with much the same. A few tense moments were shared between them, where neither said a word, but just stood there, staring at each other.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>Byleth, however, was the first one to break the silence.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>“</span>
  <span>Am I interpreting this correctly?” He asked, quickly, hand clutching to his door frame tight enough to splinter the wood a bit. “You’re apologizing, not because you regret what happened, but because you think you embarrassed me, and regret that others were around to </span>
  <em>
    <span>witness</span>
  </em>
  <span> what happened?”</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>Claude blinked a little, and the hand he had raised in order to hold onto the door frame had replaced itself at his side as he stared at his former professor. The frantic, airy quality of the man’s breath came as a surprise, but definitely not an unpleasant one, as evidenced by the small warmth pooling in the bottom of his stomach.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>“</span>
  <span>I..er, yeah?” He tried to say, but it came out more as a question. “I mean, let’s be fair here Teach, I think we both know what would’ve happened if there were no onlookers in that room back there.” Claude said with a teasing grin, following into a suave wink as well.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>However, with the increasing amount of seconds that passed where Byleth just stood there, unflinching in his confused staring of the man, had Claude quickly second-guessing his choice of words with worry.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>“</span>
  <span>I...have I...not made my affections and desires clear?” Claude finally said, nervously running a hand through the back of his hair. “Jeez, I thought...well, maybe I wasn’t as confident or straightforward in my flirting back in the academy days, as I was younger and less...polished, but I could’ve sworn I made myself abundantly clear this last month that you’ve been back.” And at this, Claude’s eyebrows scrunched together with a matching frown.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>Had he really been throwing failing signals towards the old professor? Well, that would definitely explain the look of surprised confusion gracing the green haired man’s face at this moment.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>“</span>
  <span>Aw man, well this just turned awkward then, didn’t it?” Claude said, laughing after a moment and fixing Byleth with an apologetic look.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>“</span>
  <span>I’m sorry, I thought I had made myself clear with all of the times I’d asked to accompany you back to your room for the night, or during dinner, or… y’know, during sauna trips as well. I guess this just means I need to up my game then, huh?” He said, chuckling a little once more.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>“</span>
  <span>Er...Teach?”</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>The blank look crossing Byleth’s features was not a comforting one, however, and Claude moved a bit to try and retreat, quickly realizing a mistake it was to have come to his room.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>However, when he opened his mouth to state as much, his worries were quickly dispelled when Byleth reached out and grabbed a hold of his wrist, dragging him into the room.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>“</span>
  <span>Byleth.” The shorter man all but growled out as he pinned Claude firmly to the door he shut closed, firmly locking it for better measure.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>“</span>
  <span>Call me Byleth. I want to hear my name screamed from those pretty lips of yours when I’m taking you as mine alone.” Byleth said, lowly into Claude’s ear, and Claude couldn’t help the shiver that ran down his spine.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>Giving a soft groan, Claude felt his muscles burn in a delightful kind of way as Byleth stretched his arms behind his back, and kept him firmly shoved into the door. Tilting his head over his shoulder, his eyes dilated and he grinned back at the man.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>“</span>
  <span>My, confident </span>
  <em>
    <span>and</span>
  </em>
  <span> commandeering, who would’ve known? I should’ve figured, seeing you command our army and friends so many times to victory...But feeling all of this firsthand? I’ve got to say, </span>
  <em>
    <span>Byleth…</span>
  </em>
  <span> Why haven’t we done this sooner?” He said, lust quickly filling his voice. It was to his delight, as well, that he felt a familiar stiffness poking at his rear, and he took delight in the knowledge that he could unabashedly grind back against it, not having to worry about curious spectators.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>So, he did exactly as such, and was rewarded with a punched out whine from the man situated behind him. Hearing such a noise come from Byleth only spurred on his courage, and he flexed a little to try and break free from the hands pinning his arms. He then grunted in frustration at being met with firm resistance.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>Byleth was exceptionally strong when he wanted to be, and while that knowledge filled Claude with never ending delight, it also filled him with mounting frustration as he wanted to be free, to be able to latch onto to the object of his desires, to hold and caress and touch him freely.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>Sensing his frustration, Byleth flipped Claude around to pin his back to the door instead, and locked his hands above his head. Leaning in a hair’s breadth away from his lips, he whispered huskily against them.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>“</span>
  <span>We never did this before,” He started, finally grinding his straining erection against Claude’s own, biting his lip at the friction and also distaste at the barriers of clothing between them, “Because I was foolish and never realized your feelings. I never caught onto them, always caught up in something else.” He said, lowering one of his hands to grip into Claude’s hip, continuing the gentle pressure of simple hip movements, slow and sinuous.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>“</span>
  <span>But trust me,” and at that, Byleth grabbed the zipper of Claude’s pants, quickly pulling it down and slipping his hand inside, delighted to find no underwear to hinder his movements as he wrapped his hand around the brunette’s long length. Claude’s knees buckled a little at that, and a gasp was punched from his lungs at the first delight of skin-on-skin contact.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>“</span>
  <span>I intend to make up for lost time.” And with that he brought his hand up and coated it in his saliva before wrapping it back around Claude’s erection, quickly stroking from the base to the tip and twisting his wrist a little at the upstroke.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>Byleth then lunged forward and took Claude into a deep, passionate kiss, and Claude’s knees did fully give out at that. Slowly lowering to the ground with him in his hold, Byleth moaned softly as he swiped his tongue against Claude’s lips, sighing once granted entrance.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>Claude gasped into the kiss at a particularly good twist of Byleth’s wrist, and found himself beginning to thrust into the pliant hand, warm and constricting and </span>
  <em>
    <span>perfect</span>
  </em>
  <span> as he chased his pleasure. Rolling his hips with each touch, a moan broke him away from the kiss when Byleth rubbed his thumb over the slit of his cock, and his hips thrusted harshly into the contact against his own volition.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>“</span>
  <span>A-Ah, Byleth!” And Byleth looked down to the man below him, completely enraptured with the sight. Claude was sitting on his knees, chest heaving with each pump of his hand, and a pale blush spread across cheeks. When the brunette looked up at him with glazed, half-lidded eyes, biting his lip in pleasure, Byleth felt himself twitch in interest at such a sight.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>“</span>
  <span>Look at you...So flushed and needy...Tell me, how does it feel, Claude?”</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>“</span>
  <span>G-Good, </span>
  <em>
    <span>really</span>
  </em>
  <span> good, but please, Byleth, enough teasing, I-I need...” And he trailed off, crying out a bit when Byleth twisted his wrist over the head of his cock before swiping across the slit once more, hand gliding easily with the drops of precum now beading at the top.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>“</span>
  <span>What do you need?” Byleth asked lowly, speeding up the pumps of his hand.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>“</span>
  <em>
    <span>Fuck, </span>
  </em>
  <span>I need you inside of me, </span>
  <em>
    <span>now,</span>
  </em>
  <span> Byleth!” He yelled, gripping Byleth’s wrist as he sat up and lunged forward to take him into a rough, messy kiss that resulted in a few instances of teeth clacking against each other, but neither seemed to mind.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>It was Claude’s turn to taste him, and the man reveled in the taste of Byleth’s lips on his, their tongues dancing together in a ballad of give and take.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>A few moments passed before Byleth removed his hand from Claude’s length, much to the displeasure of the man. This was quickly rectified when Byleth hoisted Claude up, grabbing him by his rear as the man easily wrapped his arms around the green head’s neck and his legs around his waist. Carrying him to his nearby bed, he deposited him gently before breaking away with a soft moan.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>“</span>
  <span>Remove your clothes, Claude. I want to feel all of you.” He said after a moment, and Claude looked up at him before he grinned, and easily complied.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>“</span>
  <span>Who am I to say no to such a face?” He asked, and moved his hand down his front, unbuttoning his shirt and cloak without much flourish before depositing them to the side, and slipping his pants into the mix after kicking off his shoes.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>Meanwhile, Byleth made quick work of his own clothing, and it didn’t take him long to join Claude in a similar state of undress. Grabbing a small tincture of oil from his bedside drawer, he clutched it in his hand before rejoining Claude on the bed, and taking him back into a deep kiss.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>Claude went along easily, and sighed into the kiss, lifting his own hands to cup Byleth’s face and tangle into his hair. The kiss started out slow and gentle, unlike the other ones they had had until that point, but when he felt the hard length of the former professor nudging into the skin of his thigh, his breath hitched and soon he was moving to pepper kisses down the man’s face. Settling into his neck, Claude made quick work of latching onto the skin of his neck, sucking on it deeply as he laved his tongue against it.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>Byleth’s breath hitched when he felt the first ministrations of Claude latching onto his neck, and he let out a soft moan.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>“ ‘</span>
  <span>S so good, Claude...” He said, breathlessly, and let him do as he pleased for a few moments. Claude fully took advantage of that, and it didn’t take the man long to start trailing his tongue down the length of his neck, to his clavicle, leaving gentle nips along the way.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>It wasn’t until he felt the unfamiliar contact of a wet tongue against the perked skin of his nipple that Byleth snapped out of his reverie with a gasp, and gently nudged the bigger man away from his chest.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>“</span>
  <span>Hmm..?” Was the questioning mumble that came from him, but he didn’t have too much time to wonder before Byleth was rushing a similar kiss to his neck. Claude moaned a bit louder when he felt Byleth start sucking a mark into the skin of his pulse point, and gently scratched his nails down the former professor’s back.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>“</span>
  <span>A-Ah, Byleth, you’re teasing again...” He said after a moment, his forgotten length left throbbing and hard against his stomach.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>A small smirk against his neck was the only warning he got, however, before he found himself pinned on his stomach once again, but this time against the forgiving and soft comfort of a mattress.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>Giving a grunt, Claude couldn’t help but chuckle a little as he turned his cheek to press into the mattress so he could glance back at the green haired man.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>“</span>
  <span>I’m sensing a reoccurring theme here...” He said after a moment, but was cut off with another soft moan when he felt Byleth grab onto his hips to lift them into the air, and then massage his hands over the rounded flesh of his backside.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>“</span>
  <span>I’m sorry, I just can’t seem to help myself. You just look...so </span>
  <em>
    <span>good</span>
  </em>
  <span>, underneath me.” Byleth said, huskily.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>Claude didn’t notice when Byleth had retracted a hand from his backside to coat his fingers in oil, but he definitely felt it when an unfamiliar appendage began probing at his entrance. Trying to relax a bit, it was with a sigh of relief and pleasure when similar slicked digits of a different hand reached around to wrap around his throbbing erection.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>“</span>
  <span>B-By…?” Claude said after a moment, before a keening moan left his lips when said man started up a quick rhythm with his hand once, stroking Claude from his hilt all the way to the tip, and not stopping or giving any time to catch his breath.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>“</span>
  <span>S-Shit! Just like that, By!” He cried out, quickly rolling his hips to match the speed of the man behind him. Overcome with the slick, warm pleasure, he barely recognized the intrusion of a finger slipping past his entrance, but moaned all the same.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>Byleth had no idea when or how Claude had come up with a nickname such as that, but found that he didn’t mind it, as long it came from his lips alone. Moaning a bit himself, he ground his own erection against the underside of one of his cheeks where it met his thigh, and bit his lip at the sound </span>
  <em>
    <span>that</span>
  </em>
  <span> pulled from Claude.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>Moving his finger around for a bit, he waited a few moments before he slowly breached a second finger into the man, and hesitated a bit when he felt him tense underneath him.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>“</span>
  <span>I-Is this alright…?” He asked, hesitantly, a bit afraid he had inadvertently hurt the man. “Are you alright?” And he stilled the movements of his fingers, and the hand wrapped around the man’s cock.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>Claude whimpered pitifully when Byleth’s hand stopped, and dropped his forehead into his arms with a groan.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>“</span>
  <span>Please, don’t stop. You took me by surprise is all, but I can assure you, I am completely alright.” Claude said, before grinding his length into his lover’s hand, trying to urge him to continue.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>“</span>
  <span>I’ll tell you if I want you to stop, but Goddess above, please do anything </span>
  <em>
    <span>but</span>
  </em>
  <span> that, right now.” He said, and Byleth relaxed at that, giving a grin as he recognized the tremble of excitement and pleasure rush through his partner beneath him.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>“</span>
  <span>I’m guessing you like this then, huh?” And Byleth scissored his fingers inside him tentatively, stretching them out and stroking at his inner walls when he was sure he was okay to take it.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>Claude groaned loudly into the mattress underneath him, and nodded frantically, rutting his hips quickly into Byleth’s hand, the shorter not even needing to pump his hand anymore with how quickly Claude was thrusting himself. Merely, instead, he just provided a warm, slick structure for Claude to fuck into.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“</span>
  <em>
    <span>Yes,</span>
  </em>
  <span> you feel so good By, so so good...Please, need more, don’t stop- AH!” Claude cried out, his body trembling when Byleth’s fingers grazed against a special spot within him.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>“</span>
  <span>Ah, there it is...Don’t worry, I’ve got you Claude...” Byleth said, smirking a bit as he leaned over Claude’s back and whispered into his ear.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>Inserting a third finger, it didn’t take long before Claude was a moaning, writhing mess underneath Byleth, and the older man bit his lip as he watched him slowly unravel before him.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>“</span>
  <em>
    <span>Please, </span>
  </em>
  <span>Byleth, I’m ready!! M’ so close!!” Claude yelled out, his walls clenching down on Byleth’s fingers involuntarily as he shuddered underneath him, stilling the movement of his hips as he tried to stave off an impending orgasm.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>Byleth groaned softly at the sight of it all, and felt his neglected cock twitch against his abdomen, already leaking from the tip from how aroused he was. Removing his hand from around Claude’s length, he tried to ignore the needy whimper that was sent his way, before he leaned forward to run that same hand down his lover’s back.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>“</span>
  <span>Are you sure? You think you can take all of me?” He asked, slowly stretching and pumping his fingers for good measure. He had spent a good seven minutes prepping Claude, making sure he was stretched enough to take him comfortably, so he knew that his partner would be able to take him with no problems. But that didn’t stop him from teasing him a little more.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>Claude snapped his neck to the side to glare over his shoulder at Byleth, and tears of frustration pricked at his eyes as something akin to a growl left his lips.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>“</span>
  <span>Byleth, if you don’t hurry up and </span>
  <em>
    <span>fuck</span>
  </em>
  <span> me, I’m going to pin </span>
  <em>
    <span>you </span>
  </em>
  <span>to this bed and ride you until you can’t move anymore.” He said, lowly, voice dangerous with intent. “Now for the last time, I am very ready and willing, so </span>
  <em>
    <span>please</span>
  </em>
  <span> just shut up and fuck me!” He yelled out, but his voice held no real anger or bite to it.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>That was all Byleth needed, however, and it was with a low groan that he grabbed Claude’s hips and pulled his rear further into the air.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>“</span>
  <span>Don’t worry, I’ve got you…You’ve earned an award for your patience, love.” He said, and chuckled when he saw the look of relief on Claude’s face before he guided his length to Claude’s entrance.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>Rubbing it across the cleft for a few moments, it was without warning before Byleth’s grip tightened, and then he was quickly thrusting forward, getting about halfway before stopping a moment with loud groan, and a similar cry from Claude.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>“</span>
  <span>B-Byleth!” He cried out, and Byleth moaned lowly, hunching over his partner a bit and panting softly before giving another deep thrust, and bottoming out quickly with a loud groan.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>“</span>
  <span>C-Claude, are you alright?” He asked when he had regained his breath, biting his lip to stop another moan escaping his lips. The tight, constricting warmth wrapped around his cock was overwhelming, and after such an extended period of time without paying any attention to it, he was surprised he hadn’t came as soon as he had entered Claude.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>Claude laid stiff beneath him, body taut and tense as his walls clenched down around Byleth unintentionally, and the other man twitched even more from the sensation. After a moment, a loud breath was pushed from the brunette’s lungs, and a drawn out moan followed.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>“</span>
  <span>O-Oh Goddess… you’re so thick, I can feel every bit of you inside of me...” And Claude clenched his hands into the bedsheets underneath him, not caring as the sound of tearing fabric soon followed the action.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>“</span>
  <span>I’m </span>
  <em>
    <span>perfect.</span>
  </em>
  <span>” Claude said, and gently rolled his hips back against Byleth’s, trying to take him deeper. “I’m going to need you to move, though. </span>
  <em>
    <span>Now.” </span>
  </em>
  <span>He grunted out, and just about cried when he felt Byleth take the first motion to withdraw a little, before pushing back in.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>Giving a soft chuckle, Byleth clenched his fingers into the skin of Claude’s hips, and it didn’t take him long before he was pulling out all the way to the tip before pounding back into the man, all the way to the hilt.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>“</span>
  <span>H-Have you always been this needy? Or is this just a new side of you I’m getting to see in bed?” Byleth asked, a teasing tone to his voice that soon fell away to soft cry as Claude clenched around him more on a thrust inwards.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>“</span>
  <span>It’s always been there, it just took you over five years to unlock it.” Claude groaned out, lifting his hips a bit more to start meeting Byleth thrust for thrust.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>“</span>
  <span>Nn...s-sorry, I didn’t mean to keep you waiting.” And the steady sound of skin against skin filled the room, along with the sound of an incessantly creaking bed.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>A few moments had passed at that, before Claude had managed to send a fond look over his shoulder, even during the punishing pace that Byleth had said.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>“</span>
  <span>I-It’s alright,” He said after a moment, voice cracking a bit from his panting. “You said you would make up for lost time, r-right? Well, I intend to hold you to that, …love.” And Claude had sent Byleth a tender smile at that, that had filled him with so much warmth and affection, that how he didn’t combust on the spot was a minor miracle in itself.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>Byleth felt a blush creep up his cheeks, followed by the telltale feeling of tears filling the corners of his eyes, so he didn’t say much. The smile he had sent back in return probably conveyed more than his words ever would, in any case, as he had never been much of a talker anyways.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>He knew the sentiment was well received however, when Claude reached a hand behind himself to hold onto one of Byleth’s. Intertwining their fingers, Byleth sniffled a little before he lowered his forehead to Claude’s back and pressed into it, resting his head there as he continued their rough pace.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>Soon, loud pants and cries returned to fill the room, and no amount of biting his lip could hold back the ones Byleth had tried to restrain. It wasn’t until he felt Claude begin to shakily grind his hips into the mattress below, and the tensing and relaxing of his body that he figured that his lover had probably reached his limit, which was all for the better as he knew he wouldn’t last too much longer himself.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>“</span>
  <span>B-By...I’m close, just a little bit more, please..” Claude said through a croak, his grinding becoming a bit more frantic as he rushed to meet not only Byleth’s thrusts, but the friction of the bed beneath him.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>And Byleth moaned lowly at this knowledge, tightening the hold of their hands before he used his other to gently nudge Claude’s legs further apart.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>“</span>
  <span>I’ve got you, cum for me, Claude. Cum with me.” He said, whispering it into his ear before burrowing his face into the crook of the brunette’s neck. “I love you.” He said, gently, into the soft skin, before latching onto it, sucking a mark of love and passion into the skin there.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>And that was all it took before Claude was crying out, body going taut underneath Byleth as he tensed and spilled onto the bed underneath them.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>A few more thrusts was all it took for Byleth to follow quickly behind him, a loud grunt falling from his lips as he felt his orgasm crash into him, and he spilled his own pleasure into his partner’s pliant body. Holding both of them up, Byleth gave a shuddery moan before collapsing, falling onto the mattress to the side behind Claude, and pulling him closely against his chest as he wrapped his arms around his torso.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>Claude panted softly as he worked to regain his breath, and after a few moments when both of their pleasure had settled down and he felt Byleth slip out of him, he turned in the man’s arms to face him, and pulled him closer to himself as well. Intertwining their legs together, Claude stared on fondly at Byleth, watching the gentle brush spread across his cheeks as he lifted his hand to stroke some of the mint green tresses behind his ear.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>Byleth stared on just as fondly, if albeit a bit bashfully. Giving a little smile, Claude was still able to see and feel the love behind it.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>As such, Claude chuckled softly, and leaned forward to press a loving, tender kiss into the man’s lips.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>After pulling away, Byleth’s smile widened a little, and Claude knew right then and there, that he would do anything to keep seeing that smile on the man’s face.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>“</span>
  <span>I intend to keep my promise,” Byleth said, breaking the silence. “I intend to make up for all of the time we lost.”</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>And Claude looked on, staring at him intently before it softened, and he closed his eyes, pulling the shorter man closer into his chest.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>“</span>
  <span>I know you do. By. And that’s why I mean it when I say…I love you, too. And I think somewhere inside of me, I always knew I had.” He said, continuing to stroke the mint green hair.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>“</span>
  <span>And that’s why it’s so important to me that...you don’t leave me again. Please, promise me, never again Byleth. Not like this last time.” Claude finished, and Byleth stared at him, his gaze softening as regret filled his features for having lost out on five years. Five years that they could’ve spent, together, figuring things out and stopping the war even quicker.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>And as such, Byleth nodded, and pressed his forehead against Claude’s.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>“</span>
  <span>Never again, love. I promise. This, I can assure you.”</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>Falling asleep soon after, exhausted by their activities, Byleth stayed pressed closely into Claude’s warm body. And Claude watched on, content with this.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>Just like Byleth had promised to come back to all of them, so long ago, he knew he would keep this promise too.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>So, he wasn’t worried this time.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>After all, if something these last five years had taught him...One way or another, Byleth somehow always did.</span>
</p>
  </div></div>
</body>
</html>